So the leftist District Attorney tried to throw out the charges to protect these radicals, but the judge was not having it - good for him!
A Massachusetts judge has decided to move forward with charges against several counterprotesters arrested during a "straight pride" parade in Boston this past weekend, despite requests from the district attorney to dismiss the cases.
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office sought the dismissal of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges against some defendants in exchange for community service on Tuesday, but Boston Municipal Judge Richard Sinnott denied the requests in seven instances.
District Attorney Rachael Rollins said Sinnott overstepped his role and promised she'll take other steps to get the charges dropped.
"By compelling arraignment in every case, the judge punished the exercise of individuals' First Amendment right to protest," she said in a statement late Tuesday. "For those people now tangled in the criminal justice system for exercising their right to free speech — many of whom had no prior criminal record — I will use the legal process to remedy the judge's overstepping of his role."
Rollins didn't elaborate, and a spokeswoman did not comment Wednesday.
Sinnott, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in 2017, declined to comment Wednesday as he continued hearing arraignments for the some 36 people arrested at the parade.
WGBH reports the judge agreed to dismiss the charges in many of the cases heard Wednesday. But at one point, Sinnott held a defense lawyer in contempt and had her handcuffed and detained for about two hours after she began reading from case law suggesting he had no authority to overrule Rollins' decision not to prosecute certain defendants, the station reported.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...ade-protesters
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office sought the dismissal of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges against some defendants in exchange for community service on Tuesday, but Boston Municipal Judge Richard Sinnott denied the requests in seven instances.
District Attorney Rachael Rollins said Sinnott overstepped his role and promised she'll take other steps to get the charges dropped.
"By compelling arraignment in every case, the judge punished the exercise of individuals' First Amendment right to protest," she said in a statement late Tuesday. "For those people now tangled in the criminal justice system for exercising their right to free speech — many of whom had no prior criminal record — I will use the legal process to remedy the judge's overstepping of his role."
Rollins didn't elaborate, and a spokeswoman did not comment Wednesday.
Sinnott, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in 2017, declined to comment Wednesday as he continued hearing arraignments for the some 36 people arrested at the parade.
WGBH reports the judge agreed to dismiss the charges in many of the cases heard Wednesday. But at one point, Sinnott held a defense lawyer in contempt and had her handcuffed and detained for about two hours after she began reading from case law suggesting he had no authority to overrule Rollins' decision not to prosecute certain defendants, the station reported.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...ade-protesters
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